Best Online CLE – DELAWARE CLE REQUIREMENTS – EXPERIENCED ATTORNEYS 

Who is considered an Experienced Attorney in Delaware? 

An attorney in Delaware is considered an Experienced Attorney after they have been admitted to the DE Bar for 4 years and have completed their first two reporting cycles.  

 

What is the Delaware CLE requirement for Experienced Attorneys? 

Experienced Attorneys must complete 24 credits, including at least 4 Enhanced Ethics, every 2 years.  

How can Experienced Attorneys in Delaware fulfill their CLE Requirements? 

Experienced attorneys can fulfill their CLE requirements in Delaware by completing courses that have been approved and accredited by the Delaware Commission on Continuing Legal Education. Examples of accepted course formats include: 

eCLE 

 

Are there other ways Experienced Attorneys in Delaware can earn CLE credit? 

Yes! attorneys can receive credit for: 

  • Published legal research-based writing. Attorneys can earn credit for uncompensated writing and publication. Generally, articles published in general circulation newspapers and periodicals will not receive credit. Brief published works that the Commission deems worthy of credit receive 2.5 credits, while substantive articles that get published in professional newspapers and periodicals and show research and analysis receive 5 credits. Law review articles, books, or chapters of published works may receive more credit. Form 7 
  • Speaking or Teaching courses.  Attorneys can earn credit for being a teacher or panelist of a CLE program or law school course. Form 8 
  • Moderation at an accredited CLE activity. Attorneys who moderate programs but do not otherwise teach in the program can earn CLE credits. Credits are awarded on the basis of 1.5x the time of attendance of the portion of the program moderated. Form 8-A 
  • Judging a Moot Court Competition. Attorneys can earn credits for judging a moot court competition. Form 8-B(1) 
  • Associate Members – 6 credits, including 1 ethics 
  • The Secretary and Assistant Secretary of the Board –  6 credits, including 1 ethics 
  • For work with the Board on Professional Responsibility or Preliminary Review Committee, attorneys can receive 4 ethics credits per year of service. Form 9-B 
  • For work with the Lawyers’ Fund for Client Protection, attorneys can receive 2 ethics credits per year of service. Form 9-C 

 

Can Experienced Attorneys in DE carry over CLE credits from one cycle to another? 

Yes! Attorneys can carry over up to 20 excess credits into the next biennial reporting cycle. Enhanced Ethics credits can carry forward as general CLE credits.  

 

What is the deadline for Experienced Attorneys in DE to complete their CLE requirements? 

The deadline to complete CLE credits in Delaware is December 31st each year. However, because the reporting period is every two years, the year in which a particular attorney is due to report depends on when they were admitted to practice. 

Attorneys admitted in even-numbered years must complete credits by December 31st in even-numbered years, and attorneys admitted in odd-numbered years must complete credits by December 31st in odd-numbered years. 

 

How many credits can DE attorneys complete on CLE Companion? 

CLE Companion does not accredit courses for Delaware. However, we believe our courses would qualify for Delaware credit approval pursuant to the Rules of the Delaware State Board of Continuing Legal Education. DE attorneys can self-apply for course approval of CLE Companion programs by following the link below: 

Delaware Self Study Application 

 

Can DE attorneys self-apply for course approvals? 

Attorneys can self apply for course accreditation by filling out the form below: 

Delaware Self Study Application 

 

DELAWARE CLE REQUIREMENTS – NEWLY ADMITTED ATTORNEYS 

Who is considered a DE Newly Admitted Attorney? 

A Newly Admitted attorney is one who is still within their first 4 years of practice after being admitted in Delaware.  

 

What are the DE CLE Requirements for Newly Admitted Attorneys? 

Newly admitted attorneys need to complete 24 credits, including at least 4 Enhanced Ethics credits, every two years. Newly Admitted attorneys must complete the following Fundamental courses within their first 4 years of admission, which will count towards the 24 credit requirement: 

  1. Fundamentals of Lawyer-Client Relations 
  1. Fundamentals of Family Law 
  1. Fundamentals of Real Estate 
  1. Fundamentals of Civil Litigation 
  1. Fundamentals of Will Drafting and Estate Administration 
  1. Fundamentals of Law Practice Management and Technology 
  1. Fundamentals of Criminal Law and Procedure 

 

How can DE Newly Admitted Attorneys complete their CLE requirements? 

Newly Admitted attorneys can fulfill their CLE requirement in Delaware by completing courses that have been approved and accredited by the Delaware Commission on Continuing Legal Education. Examples of accepted course formats include: 

eCLE 

Live CLE(Minimum of 12 credits per reporting period) 

The Fundamentals requirement can only be satisfied by taking the 7 specific courses mentioned above, which are only offered by the Delaware State Bar Association. 

 

What is the deadline for DE Newly Admitted Attorneys to complete their CLE credits? 

The CLE requirement begins on January 1st of the year after admission to the Bar; the Fundamentals requirements must be completed by December 31st of the fourth year after the requirement begins, while the 24 credit CLE requirement must be completed every 2 years by December 31st. 

For example, an attorney who was admitted in 2017 begins their requirement on January 1st, 2018. They have until December 31st, 2019 to complete the 24 credit CLE requirement, and until December 31st, 2021 to complete the next 24 CLE credits, including the 7 Fundamentals courses. 

Can Newly Admitted Attorneys in DE carry over CLE credits from one cycle to another? 

Yes! Attorneys can carry over up to 20 excess credits into the next biennial reporting cycle. Enhanced Ethics credits can carry forward as general CLE credits.  

DELAWARE CLE REQUIREMENTS – COMPLIANCE & REPORTING 

How do DE attorneys report their CLE credits? 

In Delaware, course sponsors are responsible for submitting the attendance lists for each program. For more instructions on how to report your attendance, please see attached instructions below:

Delaware CLE Companion Reporting Instructions

How do DE attorneys certify compliance? 

Transcripts are available for review on the Commission website beginning on February 1st following the compliance deadline. Attorneys must go online to review the transcript and certify compliance with all CLE requirements. 

 

What is the deadline for DE attorneys to certify compliance? 

Attorneys must confirm the accuracy of their Transcripts on the Commission website no later than March 31st following their deadline.  

ADDITIONAL CLE RESOURCES FOR DELAWARE ATTORNEYS 

State Commission Contact Info 

Commission on CLE  
200 W. 9th Street, Suite 300-B  
Wilmington, DE 19802  
302-651-3941  
Margot.Millar@state.de.us  
http://courts.delaware.gov/index.aspx 

Delaware CLE FAQ Page 

Delaware CLE FAQ Page 

Delaware Continuing Education Information 

https://courts.delaware.gov/cle/ 

Delaware Continuing Education Rules 

https://courts.delaware.gov/rules/index.aspx#cle 

Delaware State Bar Association 

https://www.dsba.org/